We had the good fortune of connecting with Shauna Hylenski and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shauna, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking

When you take the leap to open your own business you experience the potent mix of the fear of failure and the exhilaration of creating your own future. The reality is that it is always both of these things, and often one more than the other.   It comes down to the fact that you must fail, if you never fail you are constantly in fear of it. The risk of failure is worth the reward of living fully in your true-life path. My husband Bryan and I have tried and failed at numerous endeavors and it only serves as fuel to the fire for our next venture.  When we opened The Longmont Climbing Collective, we gathered all of our experiences and an amazing group of partners so we could take this leap together. We continue to take risks knowing the net to catch us continues to widen and strengthen. When COVID hit in March and we were faced with such uncertainty. We not only had each other to lean on, but the amazing community of members to reassure us that this was not our final chapter. We have become leaders in our industry in response to COVID precautions and balancing the survival of our business with the safety of our community. Risk is at the center of all success in life and I am thankful for all of my failures that have given me the courage to live life to the fullest.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Longmont Climbing Collective is a unique space of community and acceptance. It is a gym that is different from any other that we had experienced before. We all got tired of the competitive and exclusive nature of climbing gyms and yoga studios in our area. We had experienced a feeling of climbing family while living overseas in South Korea. The small gym that we climbed in everyone knew everyone. They hung out and climbed together indoors as well as outdoors. It was more than a space to get sweaty and workout. That gym was our home away from home. When we returned from South Korea in 2015, we met up with fellow ex-pats Mack and Heeran to recreate what we loved so much about our Korean climbing community. You may notice the nod to our Korean experience within our logo design. We brought together the best of training, yoga and climbing into an inclusive space. You can get sweaty, have an amazing workout but also be supported by people who care and want the best for you. This is what drives us to continue to grow and flourish at the Longmont Climbing Collective.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

  • Longmont Climbing Collective – of course! 
  • Cheese Importers 
  • Pump House Restaurant 
  • Longs Peak Pub 
  • The Roost 
  • La Vita Bella – Coffee Shop and More 
  • Quarters for retro video games + beer 
  • Grossenbart – favorite Micro Brewery 
  • Wibby’s – Has a pool and outdoor music venue in the summer

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Bryan Hylenski has shown me what big dreams look like since we met in college. Without his constant reassurance, steady focus and sometimes obsessively focused nature, I would not have had the courage to take the risks that have led me to where I am today. He does not settle; he keeps working and searching until he finds what he is looking for. When we were closed during COVID he researched, made phone calls, and ensured that our staff knew they had someone in their corner. Thanks to his dedication and driving force, we were able to keep the majority of our staff employed through those difficult months. He is a visionary that doesn’t settle for what everyone else is doing or has done before. I am so thankful to have him at the head our business as well as a partner in life.

Website: www.longmontclimbingcollective.com
Instagram: @longmontclimbs
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Longmontclimbs
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAZaoHNqjuB_bhZuTm-C2Dw

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDenver is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.